M,

226

HISTOKT OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

IX.

y.-:

jibV'

town of Gorkum, but was not likely to produce much effect■ on the mighty and opulent Amsterdam, renowned through-out the world for its haven bristling with innumerable masts,its canals bordered by stately mansions, its gorgeous hall ofstate, walled, roofed, and floored with polished marble, itswarehouses filled with the most costly productions of Ceylonand Surinam, and its Exchange resounding with the endlesshubbub of all the languages spoken by civilised men.*

The disputes between the majority which supported theStadtholder and the minority headed by the magistrates ofAmsterdam had repeatedly run so high that bloodshed hadseemed to be inevitable. On one occasion the Prince hadattempted to bring the refractory deputies to punishment astraitors. On another occasion the gates of Amsterdam hadbeen barred against him, and troops had been raised to de-fend the privileges of the municipal council. That the rulersof this great city would ever consent to an expedition offensivein the highest degree to Lewis whom they courted, and likelyto aggrandise the House of Orange which they abhorred, wasnot likely. Yet, without their consent, such an expeditioncould not legally be undertaken. To quell their oppositionby main force was a course from which, in different circum-stances, the resolute and daring Stadtholder would not haveshrunk. But at that moment it was most important that heshould carefully avoid every act which could be representedas tyrannical. He could not venture to violate the fundamen-tal laws of Holland at the very moment at which he wasdrawing the sword against his father-in-law for violating thefundamental laws of England. The violent subversion of onefree constitution would have been a strange prelude to the vio-lent restoration of another.**

There was yet another difficulty which has been too littlenoticed by English writers, but which was never for a momentabsent from William’s mind. In the expedition which hemeditated he could succeed only by appealing to the Pro-

** As to the relation in which the Stadtholder and the city of Amster-dam stood towards each other, see Avaux, pussim.